No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak Camera

Eastman Kodak Company

Name:	No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak
Type:	Folding (Rollfilm)
Manufacturer:	Eastman Kodak Company
Country of Origin:	US
Construction:	Conventional, but large, vertical format folding camera where the lens standard is pulled out on a track fixed to the baseboard. Leather covered aluminium body. Brilliant finder at top right of lens standard.
Plate / Film Size:	123 rollfilm for pictures 4" x 5"
Movements:	Rising and cross front
Dimensions (w x h x l):
Production Period:	1907 - 1915

The No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak underwent several minor design changes during its production (in common with other long running cameras made by Eastman Kodak). This is the largest of the Folding Pocket Kodak cameras and would require a substantial pocket to hold it! Note that the largest folding rollfilm camera produced is the No 4A Folding Kodak (no Pocket in the name), which is both taller and wider.

Model / Variant:	Model A
Lens:	Rapid Rectilinear
Shutter:	F. P. K. Automatic
Date of this Example:	c1907
Serial Number:	Serial number 2365-C
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	110

<Photographs to be added>

Description

Early model of the No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak with maroon bellows in fair condition. The leather is dry but complete, but the lens and iris are in a poor state. The date is based upon the low serial number & shutter which puts it in the first two years of production. Film was in camera when received, which I have now removed.

The case is finished in the same colour as the camera body.

The instruction booklet, Picture Taking with the No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak, is dated 1907.;

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Model / Variant:	Model B
Lens:	Rapid Rectilinear
Shutter:	Kodak Automatic (TBC)
Date of this Example:	c1912
Serial Number:	Serial number 1414 on reverse of support stand (see Notes)
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	204

<Photographs to be added>

Description

Later model of the No 4 Folding Pocket Kodak with black bellows in fair condition. As with the earlier example, the leather is dry but complete, although loose on the outside of the lens board.

This example has black bellows. Cameras imported into the UK were fitted with black bellows from September 1911 according to Coe [4] and this change became universal from June 1913. The black bellows were generally stronger and less prone to failure, but in my opinion the cameras lost a great deal of their attraction with the removal of the red leather bellows.

The model number is written inside the film well as well as on the inside of the removable back.  The date is based upon the black bellows & shutter.

Notes

Note that the stand does not fit very well (too long?) and carries the serial 1414 (no 'C' either), which is all wrong for the camera and is presumably a replacement.

Good examples of this camera are oddly elusive! Many have problems with 'rot' in the underlying aluminium body, which manifests itself most obviously by the leather covering lifting away as white oxide forms on the surface of the metal thereby breaking the glue bond with the leather. This problem is far from unique to this model, but does seem to be quite prevalent for some reason. It is possible to treat it to some extent, though this is a conservation exercise that may slow down its effect but is unlikely to halt it entirely.